Fluorescent lamp fixture



y? 1942- H. F. CALLAHAN FLiIORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Filed Dec. 17, 1 940 Henry F. Callahan VENTOR:

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TTOPJNEY Patented July 7, 1942 FLUORESCENT LAMP FIXTURE Henry F. Callahanj Lynn, Mass., assignor to Hygrade Sylvania Corporation, Salem, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 17, 1940, Serial No. 370,492

1 Claim.

This invention relates to fixtures for fluorescent lamps and more particularly to end caps therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide an end cap for a fluorescent lamp fixture which will diffuse light from the ends of the fixture.

Another object is to provide an end cap for a fluorescent lamp fixture which will be substantially filled with light.

A further object is to provide a fluorescent lamp fixture which is so constructed that in con junction with the end caps of my invention, it will produce an evenly diffused light fromvthe ends of the fixture, thus practically eliminating the dark areas about said. ends.

Other objects, advantages and features of. my invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the ac-- companying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fluorescent lamp fixture embodying my type of chassis yet without end caps.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a fluores cent lamp fixture according to my invention, showing the chasiss and the end caps, one of the end caps being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a rear perspective of my fixture viewed from'below. f r J Figure 4 is an end view of my fixture with the end 'cap removed showing the open type of bracket on which the lamp sockets are mounted.

The type of fixture shown in Figure 1 embodies a desirable chassis reflector construction. As shown in this figure, the end of the chassis reflector 2 is cut away on an inclined plane to permit, as the arrows indicate. light to be diffused out the ends of the fixture by being reflected off the inclined portion 4 of the reflector 2. This is made possible also by reason of the use of the bracket type of lamp socket holder 6 shown in Figure 4 which permits this reflected light to get past the lamp sockets and their holder. In this fixture the light is given ofi both in a downward and asideward direction marked by the ar-' rows l0.

To aid further in obtaining light from the ends of the lamps, I have combined the reflector 2 with the ends cut in a sloping plane 4 with an end cap 5 of light-diffusing material secured to the top of the reflector and completely encircling the ends of the fixture and the ends of the lamps. I. This light-diflusing end cap may be made of a milky colored glass or plastic. In Figure 2 the ,arrow It! indicates the direction of thelight being difiused and the arrows ll represent rays 01' pass through it.

By using an end cap thatwill extend in from the end of the fixture, so thatit will enclose the ends of the lamp, some of the light from that portion of the lamp thus enclosed will be reflected oil the bottom portion of the end cap and thrown upagainst the side of the end cap and thus transmitted out the end of the fixture. This source of light adds to the lightalready obtained out the ends by means of the inclined end 4 of the reflector 2. The end cap is sufiiciently translucent to transmit some light directly through it 'from the ends of the lamp which it encloses.

Thus my fluorescent lamp fixture provides illuminated ends by having the ends of the reflector made in an inclined plane, thus reflecting the light thrown thereupon from the top of the end of the lamp; by having the bracket on which the sockets are mounted on an open frame; and

by having a translucent end cap enclosing the ends of the lamp sufliciently to have the bottom of the end cap reflect to the side thereof such light as is thrown upon it from the bottom of the ends of the lamp.

Figure 3 shows how this fixture may be of the pendant type with the reflector 2 suspended from the bracket 8' through the arms I. The translucent end caps 5 enclose the ends of the reflector 2 and theends oi the lamps l.

Figure 4 shows an end view of the fixture, with the end cap removed. The bracket 6 which supports the sockets 3 for lamps l is made of an open or skeleton type in order to allow light to WhatI claim-is: l v I Y A fixture for elongated tubular lamps comprising: a chassis; brackets at each of the ends of said chassis to which lamp holding means may be attached, said brackets being of open constructionbetween the said lamp holding means and the said chassis; hollow caps of light-diffusing material over the ends of said chassis, said caps having their closed ends spaced substantially transverse to the axis of said chassis and spaced irom the ends of said lamp holding means, and having their longitudinal walls spaced from the walls of the lamps and substantially parallel thereto; and a reflector mounted on said chassis,

said reflector being inclined at an angle to both the lamp axis and the closed ends of the said caps.

HENRY "F. CALLAHAN.- 

